Doctor Strange has seen some incredible foes, but none compare to the time he was bitten by Dracula and almost turned into a vampire. While this may seem incredible, given Strange’s power levels, that is exactly what happened in a 1976 crossover between Strange’s solo title and Tomb of Dracula. The first part, Tomb of Dracula #44, was written by Marv Wolfman (New Teen Titans) and Doctor Strange #14, the second half of the story, was written by Steve Englehart (Batman), with both parts drawn by the legendary Gene Colan (Daredevil).

Dracula had entered the Marvel Universe a few years prior, thanks to the loosening of the Comics Code Authority, which previously did not allow vampires or similar monsters. This led to other characters such as Werewolf by Night and the Living Mummy returning to Marvel, but Dracula was the biggest name by far. During his stint at Marvel, Dracula has gone up against heavyweights such as Blade and the X-Men, and he still appears in Marvel titles to this day. The story in question was his first meeting with Strange, and he took the Sorcerer Supreme down to the wire.

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When Wong, Doctor Strange’s housekeeper, disappears, Strange sets out to find him. Casting a spell, he traces Wong’s last moments; he discovers Wong was coming to the aid of a woman being attacked by Dracula. Wong is bitten by Dracula for his troubles, and is now in danger of turning into a vampire himself. Committed to saving his friend, Strange tracks Dracula down and engages him in combat. Despite Strange’s powerful spells, Dracula manages to get the upper hand and bite Strange.

Doctor Strange's astral form attacks Dracula in Marvel Comics.

Now, just like Wong, Strange is in danger of becoming a vampire. Using his astral form, Strange must discover a way to prevent his transformation before the three-day threshold. The final battle between Strange and Dracula is epic; the vampire is so powerful Strange must summon the power of every god at his disposal to overpower and kill him. Nevertheless, he is successful, and both he and Wong are freed from Dracula’s curse.

Of course, Dracula’s book continued on for years after that, so it is clear he came back by the next issue. Marvel had been pushing Dracula into a front and center role and having him almost defeat and convert Doctor Strange into a vampire was certainly one way to do that. It set up the promise of Dracula as a serious Marvel villain; a promise that would pay off in the years to come. The two would tangle again over the years, but none of their meetings has been as epic (or as full of risk for Doctor Strange) as their first.

Next: Comic Book Heroes Who Fought Dracula